Testimonials

“I have just finished Parcels From Home: The Prisoner of War Parcels Scheme and the New Zealand Red Cross in World War II and thoroughly enjoyed it. It is written at a level that is engaging and accessible to teens and adults. The ability to click on references, glossary, and other sources of information is essential for inquiry based learning, it allows the reader to delve into further levels of information in an easy way. The mix of media is great (the ability to enlarge photographs and graphics): I particularly loved the audio files of the soldiers telling their own story; this is most important for the students that struggle to associate what happened with real people. It helps to bring the history alive.”

Parcels From Home: Jack’s War – “This book is fantastic. A welcome addition to any History or Social Studies classroom. It is set up as a great hook for inquiry based learning: audio additions help to make the story come alive; the story is supported with evidence (links to the glossary and pop-up sources of information about what happened; the graphics are great and easy to ‘get’, all adding to the story being told. It is an engaging and informative way to introduce students to the Red Cross and their actions during World War II. Wonderful story and resource for teachers and students, again a useful starting point for an inquiry project.”

Grant Robertson, New Zealand Member of Parliament for Wellington Central

Parcels From Home: The POW Parcel Scheme and the New Zealand Red Cross in World War II – “Mark and Steve and Paul, I think you’ve done a remarkable job here, in taking the story of a community coming together, led by the Red Cross, to do something real and vital: to provide the food parcels to sustain people who were prisoners of war. The effort that went on at home in wartime is not as understood as it should be – this is an effort that, at the end, was almost entirely staffed by women. It’s a story of New Zealand, it’s a story of war, but it’s told in such a way that I think we can all relate to it incredibly well.”

Grant Robertson, New Zealand Member of Parliament for Wellington Central

Parcels From Home: Jack’s War – “It is written in such a way, like all good stories, it has a character we can relate to: Jack Avery is an invented character, he is 20 years old, he’s every New Zealander who went to war. I want to acknowledge what you’ve done here: you have brought to life a story, through your hard work, that will resonate for many, many New Zealanders so well done, and congratulations.”

Dr Jenny McMahon, Director, New Zealand Red Cross

Parcels From Home: Jack’s War and Parcels From Home: The POW Parcel Scheme and the New Zealand Red Cross in World War II – “Having read these books, I do commend them to everyone: they are fantastic.”